Disaster Plan Section 10 â Conference Committee
Master Plan for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
SECTION 10 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONFERENCE DISASTER COORDINATING COMMITTEE A.
ACCOUNTABILITY 1. The Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee is responsible to the Connectional Table through the Board of Global Missions. 2. This committee shall be a policy setting committee and not an operational committee. (operations are the responsibility of the Disaster Response Team that is organized under an Incident Command Structure).
B.
MEMBERSHIP 1. The membership of the Committee shall consist of: a. The Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Coordinator who shall act as Chair, and who is designated by the Connectional Table in consultation with the Bishop and the Conference Nominating Committee. b. The Conference Disaster Volunteers in Mission Coordinator who shall act as CoChair. c. The Director of Connectional Ministries d. The Conference Treasurer or designee 2.
The other members of the Conference Disaster Committee shall be appointed in accordance with three principles: 1) Geographic 2) Inclusivity 3) Disaster Training and/or Experience
3.
To fulfill the Geographic Principle, there shall be one or more members from each district.
C Duties and Responsibilities 1. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall be responsible for overall coordination and control of the United Methodist portion of disaster response. 2. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall be responsible for the coordination of the Conference Disaster and Preparedness Coordinator, the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Coordinator, the Early Response Team Coordinator, and the Conference Treasurer’s Office. 3. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall write policies and procedures as needed to facilitate this coordination. i. All written policies shall be approved by the Cabinet or by the Conference Finance and Administration or their designee. 4. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee (CDCC) shall coordinate between the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. i. CDCC shall follow suggestions from UMCOR for improvement of the Conference Disaster operation. ii. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall request through the Bishop’s Office, UMCOR participation within the conference when needed and necessary. 40
Master Plan for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 1. UMCOR must have a specific invitation from the Bishop before they are able to provide disaster assistance. 5. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall assume such other duties as assigned or as deemed necessary. FINANCIAL POLICIES 1. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall write necessary policies and procedures for financial accounting of Disaster funds and expenses. 1. Such financial policies are for internal financial management and need not meet General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) 2. Such policies shall be written with the assistance of the Conference Treasurer’s Office. 2.
Disaster Donations a. All money sent to the PNW Conference Treasurer following a disaster shall be held in a Specific Disaster Account. b. All money in the Specific Disaster Account shall be spent specifically for that disaster or at the direction of the Cabinet/CFA c. Disaster funds collected by the PNW Conference for a specific disaster shall not be co-mingled with UMCOR funds or General Disaster funds. d. All requests for expenditures from the Specific Disaster Account shall be submitted first to the Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Coordinator or Cabinet, who shall forward it to the Conference Treasurer for payment. i. The Conference Disaster Response Coordinator or Dean of the Cabinet shall mail, email, or submit in writing the expense requests to the Conference Treasurer for payment. ii. The expense requests shall include the amount requested, the name and address of the recipient of the check, and what the request seeks to accomplish. 1) Normally all recipients will be either a United Methodist Church, a Long Term Recovery Organization, an inter-faith organization or a case worker. 2) Care should be taken not to send checks directly to clients. e. Money remaining in the Specific Disaster Account following closing of all specific disaster related requests may be moved, with the approval of CFA, to the General Disaster Account for use for other disaster related needs.
3.
UMCOR Expenditure Policies a. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair vacation homes. b. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair conference owned church property unless approved by the Cabinet. c. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair business owned property. i. Disaster money may be used to replace or repair personal property owned in conjunction with a business such as farm houses. d. Disaster money spent to repair rental property shall have a specific owner’s agreement for continued occupancy of the renter of the property after completion of the repairs without raising the rent for a given period of time. 41
Master Plan for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery e. E.
Disaster money shall not be spent in a way that would duplicate federal or state benefits.
After Action Report 1. An After Action Report shall be completed and submitted by the Conference Disaster Committee to the Cabinet and to UMCOR following each disaster.
42
SECTION 10 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONFERENCE DISASTER COORDINATING COMMITTEE A.
ACCOUNTABILITY 1. The Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee is responsible to the Connectional Table through the Board of Global Missions. 2. This committee shall be a policy setting committee and not an operational committee. (operations are the responsibility of the Disaster Response Team that is organized under an Incident Command Structure).
B.
MEMBERSHIP 1. The membership of the Committee shall consist of: a. The Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Coordinator who shall act as Chair, and who is designated by the Connectional Table in consultation with the Bishop and the Conference Nominating Committee. b. The Conference Disaster Volunteers in Mission Coordinator who shall act as CoChair. c. The Director of Connectional Ministries d. The Conference Treasurer or designee 2.
The other members of the Conference Disaster Committee shall be appointed in accordance with three principles: 1) Geographic 2) Inclusivity 3) Disaster Training and/or Experience
3.
To fulfill the Geographic Principle, there shall be one or more members from each district.
C Duties and Responsibilities 1. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall be responsible for overall coordination and control of the United Methodist portion of disaster response. 2. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall be responsible for the coordination of the Conference Disaster and Preparedness Coordinator, the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Coordinator, the Early Response Team Coordinator, and the Conference Treasurer’s Office. 3. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall write policies and procedures as needed to facilitate this coordination. i. All written policies shall be approved by the Cabinet or by the Conference Finance and Administration or their designee. 4. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee (CDCC) shall coordinate between the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. i. CDCC shall follow suggestions from UMCOR for improvement of the Conference Disaster operation. ii. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall request through the Bishop’s Office, UMCOR participation within the conference when needed and necessary. 40
Master Plan for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 1. UMCOR must have a specific invitation from the Bishop before they are able to provide disaster assistance. 5. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall assume such other duties as assigned or as deemed necessary. FINANCIAL POLICIES 1. The Conference Disaster Coordinating Committee shall write necessary policies and procedures for financial accounting of Disaster funds and expenses. 1. Such financial policies are for internal financial management and need not meet General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) 2. Such policies shall be written with the assistance of the Conference Treasurer’s Office. 2.
Disaster Donations a. All money sent to the PNW Conference Treasurer following a disaster shall be held in a Specific Disaster Account. b. All money in the Specific Disaster Account shall be spent specifically for that disaster or at the direction of the Cabinet/CFA c. Disaster funds collected by the PNW Conference for a specific disaster shall not be co-mingled with UMCOR funds or General Disaster funds. d. All requests for expenditures from the Specific Disaster Account shall be submitted first to the Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Coordinator or Cabinet, who shall forward it to the Conference Treasurer for payment. i. The Conference Disaster Response Coordinator or Dean of the Cabinet shall mail, email, or submit in writing the expense requests to the Conference Treasurer for payment. ii. The expense requests shall include the amount requested, the name and address of the recipient of the check, and what the request seeks to accomplish. 1) Normally all recipients will be either a United Methodist Church, a Long Term Recovery Organization, an inter-faith organization or a case worker. 2) Care should be taken not to send checks directly to clients. e. Money remaining in the Specific Disaster Account following closing of all specific disaster related requests may be moved, with the approval of CFA, to the General Disaster Account for use for other disaster related needs.
3.
UMCOR Expenditure Policies a. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair vacation homes. b. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair conference owned church property unless approved by the Cabinet. c. UMCOR money shall not be spent to repair business owned property. i. Disaster money may be used to replace or repair personal property owned in conjunction with a business such as farm houses. d. Disaster money spent to repair rental property shall have a specific owner’s agreement for continued occupancy of the renter of the property after completion of the repairs without raising the rent for a given period of time. 41
Master Plan for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery e. E.
Disaster money shall not be spent in a way that would duplicate federal or state benefits.
After Action Report 1. An After Action Report shall be completed and submitted by the Conference Disaster Committee to the Cabinet and to UMCOR following each disaster.
42
